1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to preservatives, and particularly to biocidal preservative agents suitable for the preservation of wood, cotton, and other materials.
2. Background of the Art
Biocidal agents are often used to prevent the rotting and deterioration of various materials caused by bacteria, algae, fungus and mold. Such agents are especially needed for the preservation of wood, which is commonly used as a construction material.
Various formulations are available for the preservation of wood. Inorganic salts, particularly chromated copper arsenate, have often been used to treat wood. However, such salts pose a problem with respect to ground contamination as they leach from the wood.
As an alternative to the use of inorganic salts, organic compounds, optionally complexed with an inorganic metal such as copper, have also been used.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,121 to Bell discloses wood preservatives which comprise a solution of a complex derived from copper and an alkoxylated diamine containing at least one fatty alkyl group.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,305 to Yu discloses a wood preservative composition consisting essentially of 4,5-dichloro-2-n-3-isothiazolone and a surfactant such as an anionic, cationic, or amphoteric surfactant.
Quaternary ammonium compounds are also known to be useful biocidal agents. However, wood treated with quaternary ammonium compounds tends to fail when used in applications with high decay hazards, such as in ground uses like posts, pilings and utility poles. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop quaternary ammonium compounds that may have greater biocidal activity.